Written Answers Friday 11 December 2009

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration was given to the needs of rural areas in applying Inland Revenue mileage rates to patient transport service drivers for the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Nicola Sturgeon: The aim of the guidance issued on the mileage rates payable to volunteers was to ensure consistency across the whole of NHSScotland. The guidance reflects HM Revenue and Customs guidelines on the non taxable mileage rate for volunteer drivers.

  We undertook to monitor the impact of the guidance and to review the rates in line with any changes to the rates payable to NHS staff and any change to the HM Revenue and Customs guidance. We are currently awaiting the recommendations following a review of mileage rates for staff and will consider these when available.

Ambulance Service

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the current operating deficit is for the Scottish Ambulance Service, also broken down by NHS board area.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Ambulance Service does not have an operating deficit and is forecasting delivery of financial balance in 2009-10.

Asylum Seekers

Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations will be made to the Home Office regarding its policy of directing staff not to deal with MSPs on the issue of asylum seekers.

Alex Neil: The Minister for Culture, External Affairs and the Constitution met with Phil Woolas, Minister of State for Borders and Immigration on 9 November and raised the Home Office policy of directing staff not to correspond with MSPs in individual asylum cases. It was agreed at this meeting that the UK Government would write to the Scottish Parliamentary Authorities to clarify their position on this matter.

Blood Donors

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it offers its staff the opportunity to donate blood at private or organised group sessions and whether such staff continue to be paid while taking time to donate blood.

John Swinney: Scottish Government staff are afforded opportunities to donate blood during working hours by attending the mobile blood transfusion units visiting the Scottish Government buildings.

Bridges

Tricia Marwick (Central Fife) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total cost was of the toll plazas and associated works on the Forth and Tay bridges prior to the 2007 election and what the total cost was of removing them.

Stewart Stevenson: Responsibility for the operation and maintenance of the Forth and the Tay Road Bridges, including any installation and removal of toll plazas and associated works, are matters for the Forth Estuary Transport Authority and the Tay Road Bridge Joint Board respectively.

Cancer

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what age group is targeted in the Scottish Breast Screening Programme.

Nicola Sturgeon: All women between 50 to 70 years of age are invited for breast screening every three years. Women aged 70 and over who have any concerns about breast cancer are encouraged to request breast screening by contacting their local Breast Screening Centre.

Cancer

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of women from deprived areas eligible for the Scottish Breast Screening Programme takes up the service.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28602 on 12 November 2009. All answers to parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Cancer

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will extend the age range for automatic screening for breast cancer.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-28600 on 12 November 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

Child Protection

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action is being taken to ensure that survivors of childhood sexual abuse are given access to psychology support services.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government provided funding of £2 million through the National Strategy for Adult Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse to help address the needs of adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. This funding was allocated to 25 statutory and voluntary organisations to develop a wide range of services for survivors, including preventative work, support and counselling. Further details can be found at www.survivorscotland.org.uk .

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the performance of local authorities against the commitments made in Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration, signed in 2007 by all 32 local authorities.

Stewart Stevenson: Through Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration, all of Scotland’s local authorities have committed themselves to take action, in partnership with the Scottish Government, on climate change. Annual statements of progress are available on the Sustainable Scotland Network website at www.sustainable-scotland.net/climatechange and the Scottish Government works closely with COSLA and other local government interests to develop and review the local government climate change response. A summary of local authority action on climate change is available in Chapter 9 of Climate Change in Scotland: Annual Report 2008-09 , published by the Scottish Government in June, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 48427).

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have produced a plan, with targets and timescales, to achieve a significant reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from their own operations, as committed to in Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration, and what annual carbon reductions will be achieved.

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have ensured that greenhouse gas reduction and climate change adaptation measures are clearly incorporated into their new and existing strategies, plans and programmes, as committed to in Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration, and what carbon reductions are anticipated as a result.

Stewart Stevenson: This is a matter for the local authorities concerned. The information requested is not held centrally.

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to help local authorities meet the commitments in Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government supports the Sustainable Scotland Network, Scottish Climate Change Impacts Partnership and other organisations to provide assistance to local authorities in meeting their commitments in Scotland’s Climate Change Declaration. The Scottish Government works closely with COSLA and other local government interests to develop and review the local government climate change response and to consider what further support may be required.

Climate Change

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken toward setting out the mechanisms for ensuring public engagement in meeting its objectives in relation to adaptation to climate change.

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will set out the mechanisms for ensuring public engagement in meeting its objectives in relation to adaptation to climate change.

Stewart Stevenson: Section 91 of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act commits the Scottish Government to preparing and publishing a public engagement strategy by 31 December 2010. Preparatory work has commenced and is ongoing. The Scottish Government is considering whether to broaden the focus of this strategy beyond the targets set in subsection (1)(a) of the act to include adaptation to the impacts of climate change.

Dentistry

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24295 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 June 2009, whether guidance has been issued to dentists in relation to the need to advise patients of the arrangements for maximum charges for NHS treatments.

Shona Robison: Guidance has not yet issued. This will be included in the next Memorandum which issues to dentists.

Dentistry

Michael Matheson (Falkirk West) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-24295 by Nicola Sturgeon on 2 June 2009, how it plans to monitor whether its guidance to dentists is adhered to.

Shona Robison: As part of its inspection procedures NHS boards check to ensure that relevant patient information is displayed within practices.

  Checks are also undertaken by Practitioner Services of NHS National Services Scotland, which is responsible for processing and paying dental payment claims, on successive claims submitted within a short timescale for payment for separate courses of treatment in respect of the same patient. Such successive courses of treatment can also be picked up by Practitioner Services as part of checks they undertake on patient record cards and at Scottish Dental Reference Service examinations.

Diabetes

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the level of insulin pump provision is for each NHS board.

Nicola Sturgeon: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-25079 on 15 July 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx .

  We have asked the Diabetes Survey Monitoring Group to record the uptake of insulin pumps on a board-by-board basis, beginning with the 2009 Diabetes Survey. This will formalise the collection and publication of information on insulin pump services across Scotland. The 2009 survey is due to be published in March 2010.

Diabetes

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated level of insulin pump provision is for each NHS board for 2010-11.

Nicola Sturgeon: We have asked each NHS board to provide details of its planned investment for the next three to five years in insulin pumps and the associated structured education.

Diabetes

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have been given insulin pumps in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area in each of the last five years.

Nicola Sturgeon: Information on insulin pump availability prior to the merger of the NHS Argyll and Clyde Board with NHS Glasgow in 2006 is not available. The number of people with type 1 diabetes receiving insulin pump therapy in the NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde area over the last four years is provided in the following table.

  Number of Pump Users

  

 Date
 


 June 2006
 22


 February 2007
 24


 April 2008
 31


 December 2009
 57



  Source: Diabetes Managed Clinical Network, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

Environment

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has issued or plans to issue guidance for the NHS to work more closely with Partnerships for Renewables in an attempt to reduce carbon emissions.

Nicola Sturgeon: The matter of energy procurement is one which is devolved to NHS boards to determine under the auspices of the Scottish Government Health Directorates Environmental Management Policy for NHSScotland [NHS HDL(2006)21].

  NHSScotland bodies are already investigating the use of renewable energy generation and other energy saving initiatives as part of their commitment to the Scottish Government’s sustainable development objectives under direction of the Health Directorates policy.

  Guidance, direct help and assistance is provided by Health Facilities Scotland on a broad range of measures and initiatives to assist NHS boards to improve their energy efficiency and reduce their CO2 emissions. Within this guidance the Carbon Trust is identified as the main source of help in identifying efficiency projects including renewables. However, it is the responsibility of individual NHS boards to procure the required plant and services and secure the necessary funding or grants.

Ferry Services

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to publish the findings of the Scottish Ferries Review.

Stewart Stevenson: We will publish a Draft Scottish Ferries Plan in spring 2010, as part of a full public consultation process. Thereafter I expect that the finished Scottish Ferries Plan will be published by the end of 2010. The plan will guide us in the efficient, cost-effective delivery of ferry services in Scotland through to 2022.

Finance

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on replacing PFI with a new tripartite form of financing involving government, private and co-operative partners.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government supports the use of the Non Profit Distributing (NPD) model of finance for public infrastructure. The NPD structure has both public and private sector financial involvement, alongside enhanced stakeholder involvement in the management of projects.

  The Scottish Futures Trust will continue to develop this method of funding to further improve the value for money it can deliver to the taxpayer.

Finance

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to where the £57 million difference in the Other Transport Agency Programmes level 3 budget line between draft Budget 2009-10 and draft Budget 2010-11 has been reallocated.

John Swinney: The amount in question is proposed for reallocation to meet pressures on the Scottish Government budget as a whole following the cuts imposed by the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Finance

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what (a) rules govern and (b) guidance it gives to public bodies entering into confidentiality agreements with banks and other bodies regarding the expenditure of public money.

John Swinney: Financial services, including investment business, banking and deposit-taking, collective investment schemes and insurance is a reserved matter in accordance with Schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998.

  Guidance on the banking arrangements that should be adopted by the Scottish Administration (including the core Scottish Government and Executive Agencies) and other organisations, including bodies sponsored by the Scottish Government is contained in the section on Banking in the Scottish Public Finance Manual http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Government/Finance/spfm/banking#a1.

Health

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive since what year general practitioners and other appropriately qualified medical staff have not been allowed to routinely prescribe heroin.

Shona Robison: The Dangerous Drugs (Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1968 restricted the prescribing of heroin for addicts to doctors licensed for that purpose.

  General practitioners and other doctors do not require a special licence for prescribing diamorphine (heroin) for patients for relieving pain from organic disease or injury.

Health

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what legislation or directive prohibits general practitioners and other appropriately qualified medical staff from routinely prescribing heroin.

Shona Robison: The Misuse of Drugs (Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1997 require that only medical practitioners who hold a special licence issued by the Home Secretary may prescribe, administer or supply diamorphine (heroin) in the treatment of drug addiction.

  General practitioners and other doctors do not require a special licence for prescribing diamorphine for patients for relieving pain form organic disease or injury.

Health

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for drugs for sleeping disorders have been dispensed in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) drug type and (b) NHS board.

Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of prescribed items for drugs for sleeping disorders dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors for the three years ended 31 March 2007-09. These data exclude the direct supply of medicines to patients from hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

  The data shown are for drugs that are licensed for the treatment of sleep disorders. However, these drugs can also be used to treat other conditions. Prescription data collected centrally are not patient-specific and do not indicate the condition for which a particular medicine was prescribed.

  Dexamfetamine Sulphate

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 564
 528
 329


 Borders
 119
 103
 102


 Dumfries and Galloway
 237
 254
 213


 Fife
 332
 414
 528


 Forth Valley
 251
 190
 212


 Grampian
 327
 356
 366


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 679
 671
 660


 Highland
 148
 129
 111


 Lanarkshire
 230
 218
 225


 Lothian
 596
 645
 629


 Tayside
 353
 315
 332


 Island Boards
 56
 47
 43



  Modafinil

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 373
 443
 430


 Borders
 30
 45
 36


 Dumfries and Galloway
 83
 108
 166


 Fife
 213
 301
 357


 Forth Valley
 151
 197
 205


 Grampian
 277
 378
 399


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 1,078
 1,461
 1,638


 Highland
 297
 390
 453


 Lanarkshire
 626
 806
 900


 Lothian
 337
 448
 458


 Tayside
 254
 283
 390


 Island Boards
 107
 114
 108



  Notes:

  1. To minimise risk of disclosure of individuals, figures for NHS Orkney, NHS Shetland and NHS Western Isles have been added together.

  2. The information in the table has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland.

Health

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many prescriptions for drugs for insomnia have been dispensed in each of the last three years, broken down by (a) drug type and (b) NHS board.

Shona Robison: The following table shows the number of prescribed items for drugs for insomnia dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors in for the three years ended 31 March 2007 to 2009. These data exclude the direct supply of medicines to patients from hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

  The data shown are for drugs that are licensed for the treatment of insomnia. However, these drugs can also be used to treat other conditions. Prescription data collected centrally are not patient-specific and do not indicate the condition for which a particular medicine was prescribed.

  Chloral and Derivatives

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 41
 53
 72


 Borders
 108
 115
 127


 Dumfries and Galloway
 17
 18
 *


 Fife
 561
 578
 664


 Forth Valley
 212
 188
 205


 Grampian
 69
 85
 62


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 483
 586
 529


 Highland
 106
 168
 154


 Lanarkshire
 96
 109
 155


 Lothian
 272
 278
 364


 Orkney
 0
 *
 10


 Shetland
 *
 *
 *


 Tayside
 87
 39
 30


 Western Isles
 11
 23
 8



  Clomethiazole

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 886
 718
 606


 Borders
 194
 135
 99


 Dumfries and Galloway
 235
 268
 202


 Fife
 918
 659
 605


 Forth Valley
 242
 245
 206


 Grampian
 485
 414
 405


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 2,372
 1,849
 1,495


 Highland
 217
 226
 208


 Lanarkshire
 869
 690
 538


 Lothian
 1,578
 1,551
 1,474


 Orkney
 16
 7
 0


 Shetland
 27
 27
 28


 Tayside
 969
 884
 730


 Western Isles
 53
 69
 37



  Benzodiazepines

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 45,103
 43,988
 43,371


 Borders
 15,687
 15,798
 14,740


 Dumfries and Galloway
 22,008
 21,381
 20,169


 Fife
 31,083
 30,120
 28,249


 Forth Valley
 31,897
 30,592
 29,578


 Grampian
 48,820
 45,399
 40,280


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 194,532
 189,823
 178,409


 Highland
 32,526
 30,904
 29,360


 Lanarkshire
 62,302
 57,525
 51,463


 Lothian
 72,385
 72,191
 70,834


 Orkney
 1,379
 1,501
 1,412


 Shetland
 1,059
 992
 844


 Tayside
 54,451
 48,336
 40,935


 Western Isles
 5,035
 4,468
 4,420



  Melatonin

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 0
 0
 95


 Borders
 0
 0
 35


 Dumfries and Galloway
 0
 0
 119


 Fife
 0
 0
 191


 Forth Valley
 0
 0
 69


 Grampian
 0
 0
 182


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 0
 0
 312


 Highland
 0
 0
 108


 Lanarkshire
 0
 0
 288


 Lothian
 0
 0
 297


 Orkney
 0
 0
 5


 Shetland
 0
 0
 18


 Tayside
 0
 0
 76


 Western Isles
 0
 0
 15



  Zapleplon, Zolpidem and Zopiclone

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 27,194
 27,106
 27,504


 Borders
 6,050
 5,367
 5,081


 Dumfries and Galloway
 17,941
 18,182
 18,748


 Fife
 39,566
 40,137
 42,731


 Forth Valley
 22,778
 24,427
 25,775


 Grampian
 59,141
 62,442
 65,050


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 111,913
 112,370
 121,378


 Highland
 35,149
 35,406
 36,903


 Lanarkshire
 80,883
 85,553
 92,818


 Lothian
 31,896
 32,489
 34,560


 Orkney
 1,272
 1,320
 1,433


 Shetland
 1,405
 1,326
 1,309


 Tayside
 32,511
 39,024
 45,485


 Western Isles
 3,788
 4,189
 4,287



  Notes:

  1. *Indicates values that have been suppressed due to the potential risk of disclosure of individuals.

  2. The information in the table has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland.

Health

Jim Tolson (Dunfermline West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how much has been spent on prescription drugs for sleeping disorders in each of the last three years, broken down by NHS board.

Shona Robison: The answer is given in the following table. The Gross Ingredient Costs (GIC) given relate to prescription items dispensed in the community by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors. (GIC is the cost of an item before any discounts are applied. It excludes adjustments and broken bulk fees). The costs shown do not include medicines dispensed in hospitals or hospital-based clinics.

  

 NHS Board
 2006-07
 2007-08
 2008-09


 Ayrshire and Arran
 75,997
 86,322
 82,006


 Borders
 7,571
 8,193
 7,446


 Dumfries and Galloway
 13,766
 14,998
 20,099


 Fife
 47,764
 66,515
 77,327


 Forth Valley
 32,798
 41,713
 42,688


 Grampian
 58,672
 79,648
 81,967


 Greater Glasgow and Clyde
 201,893
 260,922
 307,718


 Highland
 47,600
 56,208
 61,468


 Lanarkshire
 97,735
 137,331
 162,355


 Lothian
 97,864
 116,573
 115,241


 Orkney
 74
 3,404
 4,169


 Shetland
 2,886
 2,605
 5,149


 Tayside
 66,542
 68,776
 81,308


 Western Isles
 13,504
 14,738
 10,749



  The information in the table has been provided by NHS National Services Scotland.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has met in the last year.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has met four times in the last year.

Health

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what reports the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation has made to ministers in the last year.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation last reported to ministers in September 2008.

Health and Wellbeing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28662 by Alex Neil on 16 November 2009, what the local authority areas were of the three cases where a lower rent was set in 2008 and the five cases in 2009.

Alex Neil: I have asked Isabel Montgomery, President of the Private Rented Housing Panel to respond. Her response is as follows:

  For 2008 where Committees of the Private Rented Housing Panel determined a rent lower than that set by the statutory Rent Officer in three cases, the local authority areas were Edinburgh City Council (two cases) and Glasgow City Council (one case). For 2009 to the 31 October 2009 the local authority areas for the five cases were Edinburgh City Council (one case), Glasgow City Council (three cases) and Aberdeen City Council (one case).

Housing

Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-28661 by Alex Neil on 16 November 2009, what the local authority areas were of the 32 cases in which higher rents were set in 2008 and the 46 in 2009.

Alex Neil: I have asked Isabel Montgomery, President of the Private Rented Housing Panel to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In 2008 Committees of the Private Rented Housing Panel determined a rent higher than that set by the statutory Rent Officer in 32 cases and 46 cases in 2009 to the 31 October 2009. The following table indicates the local authority areas relevant to those cases.

  

 Local Authority
 Number of Cases


 2008
 2009


 Aberdeen City Council
 1
 Nil


 Dumfries and Galloway Council
 Nil
 1


 Edinburgh City Council
 Nil
 4


 Falkirk Council
 Nil
 1


 Glasgow City Council
 26
 32


 Inverclyde Council
 1
 Nil


 Mid Lothian Council
 1
 Nil


 Moray Council
 Nil
 2


 North Lanarkshire Council
 1
 Nil


 Renfrewshire Council
 1
 2


 South Lanarkshire Council
 Nil
 3


 West Dunbartonshire Council
 1
 1


 Totals
 32
 46

Housing

Jamie Hepburn (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what rent to mortgage opportunities there are in North Lanarkshire.

Alex Neil: In Scotland there is no specific scheme in operation directed solely towards rent to mortgage. Opportunities do however exist through LIFT, the low-cost initiative for first time buyers which aims to help people on low incomes become owners but whose financial resources are insufficient to meet their needs because of local housing market prices.

Mental Health

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional capacity in mental health services is being made available for veterans.

Shona Robison: All NHS boards continue to work with their partners towards improved access and outcomes for Veterans, their carers and families based on prevention, appropriate intervention and sustained recovery.

  These principles are at the heart of new arrangements and investment in place since April this year for improved access to specialist and community based metal health services for Veterans and their families.

  In partnership with NHS Scotland, we have made £1.2 million available each year to fund new arrangements through Combat Stress, the ex-services mental health welfare charity, to provide specialist mental health services for Veterans in Scotland at Hollybush House in Ayr. A range of specialist evidence-based treatments, therapies and rehabilitation are available based on comprehensive individual needs assessment. The new arrangements represents almost double the investment made in the previous year.

  We are also funding Combat Stress to provide two regional multi-disciplinary teams to cover the East and West of Scotland to improve access to community outreach services at nearly £560,000 over three years. The teams will seek to ensure Veterans with service related mental ill health are appropriately assessed, supported and treated in order that they can maintain their place in the local community and achieve their full potential.

  In partnership with NHS Lothian we are also investing £930,000 to 2011 for the Veterans First Point pilot in central Edinburgh. Operational since March this year, the community based service provides a "One Stop Shop" for assistance to Veterans and their families no matter what that need might be. The pilot will be fully evaluated and the outcome published. The learning will inform the further development of improved mental health services for veterans across Scotland.

NHS Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which NHS boards have instituted savings plans in light of projected deficits for the remainder of 2009-10.

Nicola Sturgeon: All NHS Scotland health boards are projecting to either break even or underspend in 2009-10. No board is projecting a deficit.

NHS Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether reports of a projected deficit in excess of £50 million in 2009-10 for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde are accurate.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is forecasting delivery of financial balance in 2009-10.

NHS Finance

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether reports of a projected deficit of £22 million for NHS Tayside in 2009-10 are accurate.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Tayside is forecasting delivery of financial balance in 2009-10.

National Health Service

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects the Technical Advisory Group on Resource Allocation to next report.

Nicola Sturgeon: TAGRA are currently finalising their work on the impact of the NRAC formula on remote and rural areas. I expect them to report these findings to me early next year.

National Health Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it last instructed NHS boards to complete an analysis of (a) decommissioned assets, (b) assets planned to be decommissioned and (c) land likely to be sold.

Nicola Sturgeon: An exercise is currently being conducted by Health Facilities Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government to collect data from NHSScotland bodies on a number of aspects on the NHSScotland estate. This exercise will be the basis of a baseline report to be produced by the end of March 2010. The data collected will incorporate an analysis of assets surplus to requirements and planned for disposal.

  An Asset Management System has recently been purchased for implementation across NHSScotland. This system will allow regular local and national reporting and will for the first time ensure that all estates data is held in a single and consistent form across the whole of NHSScotland.

National Health Service

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what assets owned by the NHS are (a) decommissioned, (b) planned for decommissioning and (c) land for which no NHS use is planned, broken down by (i) NHS board and (ii) current value.

Nicola Sturgeon: A breakdown of assets owned by the NHS decommissioned, planned for decommissioning and land for which no NHS use is planned is not held centrally. The information requested is currently being sourced from NHS boards. A full tabled reply will be placed in SPICe when a consolidated response has been compiled. (Bib. number 49884).

Scottish Futures Trust

Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-25602 by John Swinney on 19 August 2009, what the salary scales are of the seven senior staff members employed by the Scottish Futures Trust.

John Swinney: I have asked Barry White, Chief Executive of the Scottish Futures Trust (SFT), to respond. His response is as follows:

  The salary scales will be made public on SFT’s website before the end of 2009.

Sport

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been given to (a) public and (b) private outdoor sports centres in each of the last five years.

Shona Robison: All Scottish Government funding for the development of sport in Scotland is routed through sportscotland. The information requested on funding is not held centrally by the Scottish Government. I have therefore asked the chief executive of sportscotland to write to the member providing the detailed operational information requested.

Supermarkets

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many supermarkets have opened in each of the last 10 years, broken down by local authority area.

Stewart Stevenson: This information is not held centrally.

Supermarkets

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what studies it has undertaken to measure the impact of a new supermarket on a town or city.

Stewart Stevenson: No such studies have been undertaken. In the event of a planning application for a new supermarket being made, the impact on the existing town or city centre would be one of a number of considerations taken into account by the planning authority in reaching a decision.

Transport

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an application for Trans-European Network funds has been discussed by officials and ministers.

Stewart Stevenson: The preparation of applications for funding from the Trans-European Network – Transport programme for 2009 were discussed by ministers and officials.

Transport

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether an application has been made for Trans-European Network funds.

Stewart Stevenson: Bidding for Trans-European Network – Transport (TEN-T) funding is a reserved issue and is coordinated by the UK Department for Transport.

  The UK submitted twelve applications for funding from the TEN-T programme in 2009. Two of these were in relation to Scottish projects – the Forth Replacement Crossing and the Edinburgh to Glasgow Improvements Programme.

Transport

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the responses to Transport Scotland’s consultation on station car parking policy will be published.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland will ensure responses that consultees have agreed to share will be made available on the Transport Scotland website in conjunction with a summary report.

Transport

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects Transport Scotland to announce the outcome of its consultation on station car parking policy.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland will publish a summary of responses to the consultation early in the new year. The report will be made available on the Transport Scotland website. Work on developing a policy on car parking will be taken forward during 2010.